With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to think about gifts and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has the perfect idea, adopt a wild koala for just $60.

The Hospital offers adoptions of its current permanent residents (koalas that cannot be released into the wild) as well as some former patients. The money raised is used to help fund the operation of the Koala Hospital, the only hospital in the world dedicated to the care of wild koalas.

Ms Jan Campbell, Adoptions Coordinator at the Koala Hospital, said, “Koala adoptions continue to grow every year. More and more people, both in Australia and overseas, seem to value our iconic koalas and are prepared to help fund their care.”

This year the number of adoptions at the Koala Hospital has reached over 1,300 from within Australia and almost 1,000 from overseas.

Ms Campbell said, “For as little as $60 you can Adopt a Wild Koala and receive a certificate of adoption, the koala’s photo, a short story about its life, an information booklet about koalas, and the quarterly magazine, Gum Tips. Adoptions sent overseas are $70 including postage. If you’re last-minute, for $40 you can purchase an eAdoption which is emailed immediately.”

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is a popular tourist attraction, scientific research and education centre and a wildlife rehabilitation facility. It is situated in the Macquarie Nature Reserve close to the centre of Port Macquarie and receives over 100,000 visitors a year, a combination of local, national and international tourists.

The Koala Hospital is a Not-for-Profit charity and doesn’t get any government funding. It costs around $650,000 to run the hospital every year and all of this funding comes from donations, bequests and koala adoptions.

As well as koala adoptions the Hospital has a range of merchandising which can be purchased online through the web site www.koalahospital.org.au

Koala Hospital Clinical Director, Cheyne Flanagan, added, “Money received through adoptions and donations will be used to build the second stage of the exhibited koala enclosures, where our non-releasable patients can live. Some of whom are waiting ‘off site’, as we have nowhere to put them. All of these koalas have a story to tell about the plight of the koala in this country. All of this takes a lot of planning, a lot of work and a lot of money.”

Donations over $2,000 can also be made to the Koala Hospital. All donations over this amount are recognised with a plaque in the entry of the Hospital and on an honour roll on the web site.

For more information and adoptions call The Koala Hospital on 02 6584 1522 or go to www.koalahospital.org.au

Port Macquarie is a 4-hour drive North of Sydney or a 1-hour flight from Sydney and Brisbane with connections to the rest of Australia. To visit call 1300 303 155 or go on-line at www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au